Car-axle journal-box.



CM?, XLS JUE'- AL BOX.

APLIGATGH FILED SEPTA 5, 1911 fatente une 2, MM 2 SHEETSJME N ismllilwa E. H. HEWITT.

GAB- AXLE JOURNAL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT, 5, 1911. L

vPatented June 2, 1914:`

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UiviTED strarns rafriiivrboruiou.

HERBERT H. HEWITT, OF BUFFALO, NEW YQRK.

can-AXLE JOURNAL-Box.

Specification Aof Letters Patent.

Application filed September 5, 1911. Serial No. 647,561.

i To all whom 'it may* concern Be it knownthat I, HERBERT H. Hnwii'r, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Builalqjcounty of Erie, and State of New York, have. invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Axle Journal- Boxes, of which the following; is a full,

l, loosely fitted upon the journal and Within the cylindrical chamber of the box andthe bearing rollers are interposed' between the sleeve and the-journal box, the sleeve and box being preferably provided with shoulders eng'rapjingthe ends of the rollers and preventing the displacement thereof.

The journal box is mounted in a vertically movable support carried by or"forming a portion of the car truck and the support is provided With' a concave spherical seat in Which the journal box is mounted to shift universally. By this arrangement, the car axle is free to rock 1n a transverse plane as the car passes' over irregularities of the track and the sleeve and rollers are properly maintained in position and relieved of the ill Ieffects ofthe -great shocks and strains to which they are subjected.` Furthermore, by reason of this arrangement, the sleeve acts as a supplemental or emergency bearing for the car axle' journal in case the bea-ring iollers are rendered inoperative. While this sleeve forms an important element of the invention, it may. be omitted and the rollers arranged to directly engage the car axle journal without departurefrom the broad scope of the invention.

The invention will be more fully understood upon reference to the following; detail description, taken in connection with the aompanying drawings, which illustrate the preferred embodiments thereof. The' ,scope of the invention is particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of the car truck with the pres ent improved journal box applied' thereto.

In this'figure the portion of the truck sup porting one of the journal boxes is shown' in section. Fig. 2 is a View in elevation of the parts shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the lines 3-3 of Figs. .2 and 4. Fig. el is a cross-section on the lines -ll of Figs. 2 and 3. Figs. 5 and -6 are views similar to Fig. 3, illustratingr other embodiments of the invention. Fig. 7 is a section on the lines 7 7 of Figs. 5 `and 6. j

The wheel axles 10 are provided with wheels 11 fixed thereto and with projecting journals 1Q at their ends. These journals,

. Patented June e, 1914. 'j

contrary to the usual practice, are prefeiably cylindrical throughout and are not provided with the usualvcolla-rs and shoulders at their outer and inner ends. The journal box 13 comprises an annular, sphericalbody portion and is provided with a transverse,

axially cylindrical chamber 14 within which the projectingl end journal of the car axle extends. A. one-piece cylindrical sleeve 15 l fits loosely Within the chamber lil and is loosely and removably mounted upon the axle journal lf2. At its outer end, the sleeve abuts against an internal shoulder 16 formed upon the journal 'box at the outer end of the cylindrical chamber thereof. The inteinal bore of the sleeve is preferably slightly larger than the journal 12y and the internal diameter of the sleeve is preferably slightly smaller than the diameter of the cylindrical chamber '14 of the journal box.

The journal box is provided with a. pro- 'je/:tingr rear end portion ,17 having' an annular, plane, rear end face nwhich, when the sleeve 15 is in position, coincides with the plane, annular, rear end face of the sleeve. An annular, axiallyresilient guard 1S is mounted upon the journal between the our-w nal box and wheel and preferably'comprises a coiled spring formed of a strip of flat steel and the inner and outer rings of which. respectively engage the hub 1D of the wheel .11 and the coincident inner end faces of l in position, as well as to exclude dirt and prevent the escape of lubricant from the box. A series of bearing rollers Q0 are inter posed between the sleeve and the journal box, said rollers being somewhat shorter than the sleeve lf3- and the chamber' of' the box. The wall of the chamber an the exterior surface of the sleeve are provided with annular recesses forming a raceway for the rollers and also forming shoulders 2l and 22 extending .over the ends of the rollers and holdingr the same against longitudinal dis lacement. The bearing rollers 'are prefere ly spaced by a series of rollers 23 of slightly smaller dlameter, the bearing rollers and spacing rollers being alternately arranged within the grooves or raceways of the sleeve and the journal box, thus, dispensing with the use of spacing 20 cages and the like, which would readily get .out of order and interfere 'with the proper o eration of the bearing under the great s ocks and strains to which. the parts of a car truck are subjected. f

To assemble the parts, the spherical Abody of the journal box is formed of separate scctions that are preferably divided upon a vertical central plane, transverse to the axis.

of` the journal. These annular, semi-spherical sections are connected by means of a series of'screw bolts :24 or, if desired, long `heavy rivets could-be employed.

The outer section ofthe journal box is j provided with a projecting hollow part Q5 which forms a chamber for receiving lubricant. 'An axial opening in this projecting portion and through which lubricant is supf plied, is normally closed by a `screw plug Q6.

Thick grease is preferably employed Vand is.

40 supplied from vthe lubricant chamber within the projecting portion 25 to the bearing surfaces of the sleeve 15, chamber 14 and rollers 20.

The spherical journal-box is mounted 145 Within the correspondingly shaped concave seat on a` suitable vvertically movable support mounted on the truck frame, sothat the wheel axle is free to rock ina transverse ve'rtical plane and so that the jornal box is free to shift universally with the axle and thereby prevent this rockingfmovement' from straining and displacing the parts of the bearing. The supporting or retaining members for the journal box may be applied to different forms of trucks and mounted thereon in different ways. vIn the drawings, the improved journal box and bearing is shown as applied vto a freight car truck comprising side lframes 4(only one of which ls shown in the drawing) which are swiveled upon the ends of the transverse connecting transom. As Shown, the side frame' 27 is provided at its endswith openings for receiving the Vsphericatjournal boxes and the journal box comprise rings 28 which :irc threaded within the openings. Theini'ier surfaces of these suj'ipcrting or retaining memberswr rings are shaped to corresj'iond to and lit upon the. spherical journal box und thereby form the annular, spherical, concave scat in which the `journal box is lree to shift universally with the axle as the latter rocks in passing over irregularities of the truck. The rings or keepers are jjiretcrably provided with flanges 28 which abut against the inner and outer faces oi the side frame 2T and set screws 2f) threaded through the ends of the side frames engage notches formed in the inner adjacent edges of the ring keepers to hold the latter in position. These set screws are provided with lock nuts 30.

The transom 3l of the car truck is provided with a cylindrical end portion which is journaled within a central ilanged opening in the side -frame 27. Keepers 33 are arranged within sockets in the walls of the flanged opening et 'the side frame and are secured in position by pins 34;. "These keepers extend through slots in the cylindrical portion 32 of the transom to hold theI side frame thereon, but, in such a manner, that the side trarne is tree to swing upon the end ot' the transomy to permit the vertical movement ol the ends ol' the side frames and of the wheels. and Wheel a xles connected thereto in passing over irregularities of the track. The manner of mounting the spherical journal boxesalso permits the free roeking movement of the wheel axles and at the 'same time maintains the sleeves l5 und the rollers 20 in proper position and in alinement witlrthe journals, so that these parts are well adapted to withstand the shocks and strains to -which theyarc subjected. Moreover, inasmuch as the journals can rotate within the sleeve 15, these sleeves act supplemental or emergency bearings for the ournals in case the rollers fail. j

In the form shown in Figs. 5, G and 7, the

-bearing sleeve is dispensed with and it is unnecessary to form the spherical journal box ljof separate sections. In each of these constructions the bearing and spacing rolli ers 20 and 23 are interposed directly between the cylindrical surfaces of the journal and the chamber ofthe s herical journal box. In the form shown in iig. 5, the outer ends of the rollers abut against-a shoulder 3o, while the inner ends thereof are coincident with the inner'end face of the journal box and are engaged and -held in position by the ian nular resilient guard 18.' In the forni shown in Fig.` 6, the ends ofthe rollers abut against internal shoulders 3G and 37 formedat the opposite ends of the journal box. In other respects thc constructions are similar to each other and to ttc form shown in Figs. 3

supporting members or keepers for the and 4.

aoseasoo ing a Wheel thereon'and a, projecting jour-A ing a wheel thereon and a projecting jourv,line vWith saidl journal.

3. The-combination with a car axle having a wheel thereon and a project-ing journal at its end, of'a journal box comprising a spherical body portion havinga cylindrical chamber therein for receiving said projecting journal, a sleeve loosely mounted on said'journal and loosely fitting in the cylindrical chamber of said box, a `series of 'bearing rollers inter osed between saidsleeve and said box, anc supporting members or keepers having a spherical concave seat wherein said boxis universally shittable.

4. The combination with a car axle having a wheel thereon and a projecting join'- nal at its end, of a journal box comprising a spherical body portion having a cylindrical chamber thereinv for receiving said projecting journal, a sleeve loosely mounted on said journal and loosely fitting within the l cylindrical chamber of said box, a series of bearing rollers held against longitudinal movement andinterposed between said sleeve and the wall of the cylindrical chain-v ber of said box, and a support having a spherical concave seat wherein said journal box is movably mounted.

The 'combination withacar axle having a. wheelthereon and a projecting journal at ils end, of a journal box comprisinga spherical body portion having a cylindrical chainjournal, a sleeve loosely mounted on said journal, a series oi hearing rollers interposed between said sleeve and the wall of said'cylindrical chamber, a series of relatively small spacing rollers between said hearing rollers, and a support having a Spherical `concave seat wherein said box is inovably mounted.

6. The combination with a car axle having wheel thereon and a projecting journal latl its end, oie a journal box comprising a spherical body portion having a cylindrical chamber therein for 'receiving said projecting journal, a sleeve loosely mounted on said journal,` a series ot' alternately arranged bearing and spacing rollers held against longitudinal movement and interposed between said sleeve and said box, and connected, vertically movable, supporting ineinbei's or keepers having La spherical conca vc scat wherein said box is universally movable.

7. The combination with a car axle having a wheel thereon and a projecting journal at its end, of a journal box comprising a spherical body portion having'a cylindrical cli-amber therein for receiving said projecting journal, a sleeve on said journal, a series oi' hearing rollers interposed between said sleeve and said box, said sleeve and box having shoulders engaging the ends of said rollers and said box comprising separate sections secured togetlier, and connected Supporting members or keepers having a spherical concave seat wherein said box is removably mounted and free to shift universally.

8. The combination with a car axle having a wheel thereon and a projecting journal, of a journal box having a cylindrical chamber therein, a `sleeve loosely mounted on said journal and loosely fitted within said chainbcr, a series ot bearing rollers inte posed between said sleeve and the wall of said chainbei, said sleeve and the wall of said chamber being rec ed to receive said rollers, and a support whereon said box is iiiovably shiftable.

9.' The combination with a car axle having a wheel thereon and a projecting end journal, of a journal box comprising a spherical body portion having a transverse cylindrical chamber thi-frciu'tor receiving said projecting journal, anslethe loosely and rotatably ntted upon said jonriial and within said chaIiiber, a series of bearing rollers interposed betwccn said sleeve and box, and. supporting ineinbeis having a spherical concave scat for said box, said journal box having a. projecting hollow part closing the outer end. of said chamber and adapted to receive lubricant and supply the sain( to said rollers and said sleeve.

l0. The combination with a car axle hai* ing a wheel thereon and a projecting journal at its end, oi' u journal box comprising a sj'ihcrical body portion having a cylindrical bei' therein for receiving said projecting l clizluubertherein for receiving said projecting,f journal, a series of cylindrical bearing permit the free rocking movement of said Tellers arranged in said c iamber and intel'- posed between said journal and Said box, and a member pivotelly mounted to swing in vertical direction and having a Support pro Videdwitli a spherical concave seat-wherein Said journal box is universally Shiftable to seid journal7 substantially described.

HERBERT Il. HEVITT. Witnesses:

CAxzoLYN VEBER, HARRY L. CLAPP.

axle and maintain said rollers in line with 

